An airbag module with the above-mentioned features is described in DE 41 12 939 A1. In the known airbag module, the protective covering is formed as a shrink film shrunk onto the housing, spanning over at least the open side of the housing. In the edge region of the housing opening, a sharp-edged strip, having saw teeth, is fastened on the outer side of the housing. When, after triggering of the gas generator, the gas pressure increases in the interior of the airbag, a corresponding pressure is exerted onto the protective covering by the airbag which is pushing outwards through the opening of the housing, allowing the protective covering to tear open along the saw tooth strip, so that the housing opening is exposed for the emergence of the airbag.
The known airbag module entails the disadvantage that the application of the shrink film is complex in the process step which is to be instituted separately.
The invention is therefore based on the problem of constructing an airbag module with the features named in the introduction, so that the mounting of the airbag module with application of the protective covering is simplified.